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Bobby (Leiopotherapon unicolor) — Terapontidae

Bobby

Leiopotherapon unicolor
Family: Terapontidae

The Bobby (Leiopotherapon unicolor) is a brackish-water fish of the family Terapontidae that grows up to 31 cm.

Length
31 cm
Water
Brackish
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Australia
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The spangled perch is a robust freshwater fish from Australia, one of the most widely distributed native fishes of the continent. The species grows to about 31 cm and has a stocky, silvery body with fine dark speckles and a spiny dorsal fin. As a hardy omnivore it lives in very varied waters, from rivers to temporary pools, and eats insects, small fish, crustaceans and plant material. It tolerates high temperatures and turbid water. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Bobby?

The Bobby has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a spots pattern. Very widely distributed, hardy omnivore

Where does the Bobby live?

The Bobby lives in brackish water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Australia

How big does the Bobby get?

The Bobby grows to a maximum of about 31 cm.

Is the Bobby dangerous to humans?

No, the Bobby is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Bobby edible?

Yes, the Bobby is commonly eaten.

More photos

Bobby (Leiopotherapon unicolor) — Terapontidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Michael Verdirame, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Bobby (Leiopotherapon unicolor) — Terapontidae — 3
Geoffrey Sinclair (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Bobby (Leiopotherapon unicolor) — Terapontidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) boogoolum, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Bobby (Leiopotherapon unicolor) — Terapontidae — 5
greg n (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Bobby verified
Scientific name
Leiopotherapon unicolor
Family
Terapontidae
Other names
Bobby cod; Bobby perch; Jewel perch; Nicky; Spangled grunter; Spangled perch; Trout cod verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
31.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Natural range
Australia verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Insects, fishes, crustaceans and plant matter inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Hardy omnivore of a wide range of waters; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Very widely distributed, hardy omnivore sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Angling sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Leiopotherapon

More from the family Terapontidae

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